Pivoted cam jar cap wrench



April 25, 1 950 A 2,505,517

PIVOTED CAM JAR CAP WRENCH Filed Nov. 9, 1946 W ldo H- Banks INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

]Patented Apr. 25, 1950 TED STATES PATENT OFFICE This invention relates to a device adapted to remove the tops of containers such as the socalled screw tops or screw-threaded covers of jars, or the like.

As will presently appear the invention is fear .1

tured by the provision of novel and unique means whereby the top or cover of a container may be efiiciently clamped between jaw-like elements and quickly removed without injury to said top or said container.

Another object is to provide an arrangement susceptible of adjustment to accommodate varying sizes of tops, certain means being supplied to maintain the parts in said adjusted position during the operation of the device.

Still another object is to provide a device of the above nature in which the material is so disposed as to attain a high degree of strength without heavy construction and in which the parts are securely held in assembled relation to present a compact and neat appearance.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

ihe invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the subjoined claims.

In the accompanying drawing, in which is shown one of the various possible embodiments of this invention:

Figure l is a plan View of the device in position for application to a container top.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof.

Fig. 3 is a view like unto Fig. 1 but illustrating the operative position with the top clamped in the device.

Fig. 4 i an enlarged transverse section taken on the line 5---@ of Fig. 1.

Referring now more in particular to the drawings, wherein similar reference characters denote like parts throughout the several views, the numeral 5 indicates the body portion of the device, conveniently termed a lever, the forward extremity being preferably bent downwardly to form a jaw 6 (see Fig. 2), and presenting a plurality of tooth-like formations I to contact the outer depending rim of a lid or closure A. The other end portion of the lever 5 is preferably given a substantially right-angled twist to provide a handle portion 8 its end being fashioned in the manner indicated generally at 9 to open vacuum-sealed covers on jars or caps on bottles, thus increasing the usefulness and efficiency of 2 Claims. (01. 81-3.44)

the tool, as will be readily understood. Said handle portion 8 may be provided with an aperture 811 (see Fig. 2), for supporting the device on a hook, or the like, when not in use.

A slidable member, denoted generally at B, is mounted on said lever 5 it path of operation being between said jaw 6 and the inner end of said handle 8, said slidable member comprising upper plate H) and lower plate ll held in spaced relation with the lever 5 therebetween in the manner clearly shown in Fig. l, studs l2 and I3 being preferably used in the present instance. The assembly of said slidable member B also includes a rotary element l4 eccentrically pivoted to said lower plate II by means of said stud l3, said rotary element having a portion of its per pheral face provided with teeth or serrations l5 which cooperate with the teeth 1 of said jaw 6 in a manner to be pointed out hereinafter. Said lower plate II is also provided with an opening l6 into which extends a projection or pin l1 borne by said rotary element I4 (see Figs. 1 and 3). At this point it is br efly pointed out that said projection ll osc llates within the confines of said opening !6 to restrain the movement and clamp ing pressure of said rotary element l4. As shown in Figs. 2 and 4 said upper plate I is provided with a protuberance I8 to faclitate the movement of said slidable member B along said lever 5.

In using the device the parts are in the positions shown in Fig. 1, said sl dable member B having been moved along the lever 5 by applying the thumb against said protuberance 18 until the teeth on the peripheral face of said rotary element M engage the depending rim of the closure A, the pin I I being now in the position s own in Fig. 1. This engagement causes said slidable member 13 to tilt, whereupon sa d studs l2--l3 contact the opposed edges of said lever 5 to bind said slidable member to the lever. A turning movement of the lever counterclockwise causes said rotary element 14 to rotate on its axis l3, the teeth 55 now gripping the dependin rim of the closure A to firmly clamp the same between the jaw 6 and the peripheral face of said rotary element M, this gripping action being insnfiicient to crush the rim of the closure and the neck of the container since the pin H oscillates from the position shown in Fig. 1 to the location indicated in Fig. 3 wherein it will be noted said pin l7 contacts the wall of said opening l8 and prevents further rotation of said element M. It is also obvious that the aforesaid cooperation between said pin I! and the wall of the opening prevents the rotary element M from overriding its highest point of contact with the rim of the closure A and a subsequent loosening of the required gripping action. The respective parts being now in the position indicated in Fig. 3 it is only necessary to continue the counterclockwise movement of the device to expeditiously effect the removal of tops or closures normally secured to containers in a manner to preclude their removal without resort to undesirable contrivances.

While I have shown a particular embodiment of my invention, it will be understood, of course, that I do not wish to be limited thereto since many modifications may be made, and I, therefore, contemplate by the appended claims to cover any such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim:

1. A device for removing a container top comprising a lever having a handle portion, a jaw said jaw and a projection borne by said rotary element and engageable with the wall of said opening in said lower plate to restrain the clamping action of said rotary element.

2. A device for removing a container top comprising a lever, a jaw disposed at one end of said lever, a member slidably mounted on said lever, said member including a plate presenting an opening, a rotary element eccentrically pivoted to said plate and being movable to clamp the top between said rotary element and said jaw, and means borne by said element and engageable with the wall of said opening in said plate to restrain the clamping action of said rotary element.

7 WALDO H. BANKS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 29,826 Scripture Aug. 28, 1860 1,785,436 Carlson Dec. 16, 1930 2,043,144 Argauer June 2, 1936 2,062,975 Brin Dec. 1, 1936 

